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Alternative Solutions

to Boost Your Hospital’s

Outreach Business

If clinical laboratory managers could catch a break from It will take creative thinking on the part of lab managers
stiff regulatory changes and focus their attention on to strategize a planned approach and a dedicated team
outreach business, they would have less time to think of marketing professionals to upsell laboratory services
about declining test reimbursements but rather, how to to various unconventional venues. Convincing upper
generate new revenue outreach opportunities. management to clearly understand this type of new
Shrinking test reimbursements shouldn’t be a factor in revenue is the first thing one must consider. Using a tool
deciding the fate of an outreach business or an obstacle such as business intelligence data to actively measure
stopping a lab manager in starting a new outreach workload performance is the best way for labs to
program. Labs are feeling the crunch of the recent get the C-suite to buy into new revenue opportunities.
regulatory effects, especially labs that are operating There are some who will view new tests for certain venues
on small profit margins. The negative impact from the hefty as high risk and are unsure of the financial potential even
reimbursement cuts have made managers re-think their though markets indicate molecular and esoteric testing
laboratory test menu and search for alternative cash is significantly growing. Analytical data allows
flow opportunities beyond the traditional physician management to present hospital executives’
partnerships. Marketing lab services to a non-traditional data-driven proof that supports and justifies expanding
audience can open up new revenue streams and the test menu. In other words, business intelligence
compensate for the loss in reimbursement income. reporting holds the key when it comes to making executive
decisions. When data is used for evaluating purposes,
Laboratory managers working in a 24/7 environment the numbers will continually impact the financial success
already know the testing capacity is underutilized. of the lab and should not be any reason for senior
Outreach testing affects the incremental costs management to question the viability of the clinical
associated with a lower cost of performing extra tests. lab performance.
Outreach testing generates higher revenue margins for
every test running through the hospital laboratory.

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